Apparatus for dehydrating oils



Oct. 4, 1932.

H. MORETON APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING OILS Filed May 29, 1930 coco Patented Oct. 4, 1932 PATENT QFFICE HENRY MORETON, OF SAN TA MONICA, CALIFORNIA ArrimATUs r03, DEHYDRATING OILS Application filed May 29, 1930. Serial No. 457,388.

This invention is an apparatus for treating oils to separate the aqueous moisture and lighter hydrocarbons therefrom.

Oneof the objects of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus for applying a vaporizing temperature to the oil. A further object is to provide an apparatus by which a continuously supplied stream of oil may be treated and the vaporization of the volatile contents greatly facilitated. A further object is to provide means for maintaining an approximately uniform vaporizing temperature.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front end view illustrating an apparatus for practicing the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vaporizing chamber. Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates a cylindrical chamber, having one end closed by an integral end wall, the other end being open, but normally closed by a removable head 12, which may be secured in place in any suitable manner, as by means of bolts 13. Located within the chamber 10, and partially 3O filling the same is a bed of granular material 14, preferably in the form of an insoluble silica. For instance, ground quartz or a high grade sand will serve the purpose.

Extending through and supported by the end wall 11, and in a position to be embedded within the granular material 14 is a supply pipe 15, which is provided with perforations 16, and is preferably surrounded by a tubular screen 17. Said feed pipe is connected with a supply pipe 18 leading from any suitable source (not shown), and controlled by a cock 19. It is preferred to depress a portion of the pipe 18 to provide a trap 20, which may be drained by suitable drain pipe 21,

so as to remove tars and heavier constituents in the oil. Extended above the normal level of the granular body 14, and supported by end wall 11 is a discharge pipe 25, which is also provided with perforations 26, and enclosed by a tubular net-like body or screen 27.

Said discharge pipe is connected with an outlet pipe 28 leading to any suitable place of storage, not shown.

Leading from the top of the chamber 10 are vapor outlet pipes 29 which discharge into a condenser conduit 30, leading to any suitable point of delivery, not shown. Said condenser 30 is provided with a drain pipe 31, as shown.

In practice, the chamber 10 and the granular material 14' are heated in suitable manner, until the granular body 14 is brought to a temperature which will vaporize any aqueous moisture which may be carried by the oil and at the same time volatilize any of the lighter hydrocarbon constituents. For purposes of illustration the chamber 10 is shown as mounted over a fire box 32.

The oil is supplied from a suitable source through pipe 18 into the pipe 15, and discharges through the openings 16 into the bottom of the granular bed 14, after which it gradually works upwardly through said granular bed into the space above the top thereof, and partially fills said space. As soon as said heated oil reaches the level of the'pipe 25 it is carried off through said pipe to the outlet pipe 28, in an obvious manner. As the oil passes through the heated bed 14 the aqueous moisture is evaporated and other lighter hydrocarbon vapors are also volatilized, and the vapors thus formed will rise above the level of the liquid in the top of the chamber 10 and finally passing through the pipes 29 into the condenser flue 30. Such vapors as are condensed due to any cooling in the flue 30 may be drainedoff through the pipe 31. g

The amount of oil to be treated in a given time is largely a matter of judgment of the operator, and in some measure depends upon the volume of the granular bed 14, but good results have been obtained by maintaining the temperature of the granular bed between 400 and 900 F., and feeding the oil at the rate of 12 gallons per hour through a depth of five inches of granular material spread over an area approximating 18 inches by 11 inches.

That is to say, the volume of supply of the oil should be so regulated as to conform to the capacity of the oil to overcome the resistance to flow which is inherent to the granular material 14, so that the flow will be slow but continuous.

It will be noted that the vaporization effects are such that anyemulsions of oil and water are separated at the top above the, level of the oil restingupon the granular bed. If the temperature is not maintained suificiently high to insure vaporization of all of the water, some of the moisture in the form of emulsion will go to the bottom and must be drained out through a suitable drainage pipe 32. r V r The advantages ofthe invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which it belongs. It will be noted that by theprocess described, crude or contaminated oils may be completely dehydrated and gasoline may be separated therefrom, particularlycwhere crank case oils are being treated. Also it will be readily understood that the method may-be used for 'breakingup emulsions produced by mixtures of. water with the oil, for removing tars, and in fact for any processwhere the step of rapid-heating of the oil is desirable or necessary.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner of' constructing and using the same, al-

though without attennoting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what is claimed is 1. Anoil dehydrating apparatus comprising a horizontally disposed elongated chamber having a bed of granular material partially filling the same, means for heating said bed, a perforated oil supply pipe extended longitudinally into the lower portion of said bed from one end of said chamber, and a perforated oil discharge pipe also extended longitudinally into said chamber from the same end'thereof and located above a bed of granular material partially filling said chamber, means for heating said-bed, a perforated o1l pipe extended through the closed end of said chamber longitudinally into the lower portion of said bed, a perforated oil discharge pipe also extended longitudinally into said chamber through said closed end wall and located above the surface of 'said'be'd, and a vapor, outlet leading from said chamber at a level above said outlet pipe. r, I a

- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand; I V

e vHENRY HL MORETON.

the surface of said bed, and vapor outlet f leading from said chamber at a level above saidoutlet pipe.

An oil dehydrating device comprising a cylindrical chamber supported in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis thereof and having a bed of granular material partially filling the same, means for heating said bed, a perforated oil supply pipe extending longitudinally into the lower por-' tion of said bed, a perforated oil discharge pipe extending longitudinally into said chamber above the surface of said bed, tubular screens enclosingsaid pipes, and means for conducting vapors from said chamber at a position above said outlet pipe.

3. An oil dehydrating apparatus comprising a cylindrical chamber supported in a plane parallel with its longitudinal axis, said chamber having an integral wall at one end, a head removably secured to and normally closing the other end of said chamber, 

